Jets quarterback Justin Fields returns to team drills at training camp, 4 days after toe injury
Jets quarterback Justin Fields returns to team drills at training camp, 4 days after toe injury
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields returned to team drills Monday, four days after dislocating a toe on his right foot.
Fields participated in 7-on-7 drills at training camp Saturday as the team eased him back into practice. Coach Aaron Glenn had said Fields had “a ways to go” before fully returning. But after a day off Sunday, Fields ran the offense during 11-on-11 drills — and on the first day this summer the Jets wore pads.
“He was limited, but he was limited the way that we want him to be limited,” Glenn said after practice. “He made some good throws out there. And again, when Justin gets on the field, I mean, we’re going to let him be who he is.”
Glenn wouldn’t specify what he meant when he said Fields was “limited” and was asked if perhaps the team doesn’t want him to run as much as he normally would.
“Just limit him the way we want him to be limited,” Glenn said. “I’ll just keep it at that.”
Fields sent Jets fans and social media into a frenzy last Thursday when he dislocated a toe on his right foot early in practice. He was carted from the field to the facility, where he had multiple tests before the team announced the diagnosis — relieving fears that it could be an even more significant injury.
After sitting out completely on Friday, Fields threw passes in 7-on-7 drills Saturday and showed no signs of his injured foot ailing him. His first pass in team drills Monday was batted down at the line of scrimmage by Byron Cowart, but Fields had an otherwise solid practice session.
“There are some things that he did today that I was very pleased with,” Glenn said. “But there’s also some things he’s got to get better at, too. He knows that.”
Gus Hartwig injured
Rookie center Gus Hartwig left late in practice with what Glenn said was a knee injury that was being evaluated.
Hartwig, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Purdue, went down during team drills and stayed down for several minutes as he was examined on the field. Several teammates took a knee around him before he was able to get up and gingerly walk under his own power to the injury tent.
Super D-line
Byron Cowart is in his seventh NFL season and now with his seventh team after signing with the Jets as a free agent in March. After stops with New England, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Houston, Miami and Chicago, the 29-year-old Cowart is excited about his defensive linemates in New York.
He looks around at the likes of Quinnen Williams, Will McDonald and Micheal Clemons and can’t help but think of a group of superheroes.
“I feel like I’m in ‘The Avengers’ right now,” a smiling Cowart said. “I’ve got Will to my left, I’ve got Quinnen, Mike and there’s a lot of guys around me. The guys in the secondary, the linebackers behind me.
“You’ve seen the new ‘Superman’ movie? There’s a new villain, he was trying to figure out his powers and what is he good at? So I said that’s what I’m trying to figure out — how can I help you guys? It’s dope being around everybody flying around.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Pro Football Writer
